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World's Best Locations for Stand Up Paddleboarding

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You don't need a killer set of waves to ride a stand up paddleboard: In fact, the gentle breaks in these 10 sunny locations are ideal for SUPing newbies and experts alike. Grab a paddle, a board—and hit the water.

by
VirtualTourist.com Editors 1 / 11

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is fast becoming one of the most popular watersports, especially in locations with flat conditions and beautiful scenery.
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To help you find an ideal spot for stand up paddleboarding, the members and editors of travel website <a href="http://www.VirtualTourist.com" target=_blank">VirtualTourist.com</a> assembled a list of the best SUP'ing destinations around the globe.
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While it's not always easy to find a local beach town the supports the sport, SUP's skyrocketing popularity means that it may become more and more available at most resorts. While competitions often feature waves and breaks, we’d suggest calm, flat conditions for your first paddling attempt.
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New to paddleboarding? Check out our <a href="http://mensfitness.com/leisure/outdoor/first-timers-guide-to-stand-up-pa... Timer's Guide to Stand Up Paddleboarding.</a>

Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii</font></h3>
Fantastic for both surfing and standup paddle boarding, Sunset Beach on the north shore of Oahu is legendary and with reason. If you happen to visit in the calmer summer months, you can paddle the 4 miles from Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay.

Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors Council

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, California</font></h3>
Our chosen spot in Northern California, Santa Cruz provides a range of great breaks for all experience levels, from beginner to experienced. In addition to the shoreline, Covewater SUP of Santa Cruz leads tours through Elkhorn Slough, one of two remaining salt marshes in California, which gives you the opportunity to spy sea otters, harbor seals, and numerous species of birds.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico</font></h3>
Located only 27.5 miles (44.3 km) north of Puerto Vallarta and just past Punta Mita, Sayulita is a quiet enclave with a big paddle following. The area hosts the Punta Sayulita Longboard & Stand Up Paddle Classic, which is becoming a big event for North American paddlers. However, if you’d rather paddle the Atlantic side of Mexico, Playa del Carmen is also a great spot to start.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Bali</font></h3>
In the middle of Indonesia, Bali has long been known for its lush vegetation and temples, but it also has a growing following as a surf destination. While many tourists flock to the Kuta area near the airport, we suggest some of the slightly calmer, but much less crowded, beaches to the north, like Balian and Medewi. On the opposite side, Sanur is a great spot to check out for SUP.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Malibu, California</font></h3>
Californians can debate for hours about which spots are the best, but votes were unanimous for Malibu amongst stand up paddle boarders. Gorgeous views, perfect weather, and miles of beaches to choose from exemplify why this city has been synonymous with surfing for years.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">South Africa</font></h3>
With its wide variety of waves and gorgeous scenery, South Africa is a natural choice for those who want to try stand up paddle boarding while in Africa. If you’re visiting Cape Town, some ideal spots are Sunset Beach and Blouberg to the North of Table Mountain; to the South, Muizenberg and Strand are recommended. Langebaan Lagoon, located about an hour north of Cape Town, is a protected spot perfect for beginners and first-timers.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Chorrillos, Peru</font></h3>
While Peru might seem like an unlikely spot to catch some waves, Chorrillos hosted the World SUP & Paddleboard Championships this past February. Located just south of Lima (though still considered in the city proper), Chorrillos offers a number of great beaches
and a fun option for paddle boarders who want to explore South America.

Namotu Island Resort

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Namotu Island, Fiji</font></h3>
This island resort is uniquely located relatively close to all of Fiji’s best breaks, including the notorious Cloudbreak, making it a particularly apt spot for water sport connoisseurs. For a less risky ride, <i>Swimming Pools</i> is ideal.

<h3><font color="red" font family="arial">Perth, Australia</font></h3>
While surfers looking for big waves head to New South Wales, the best spot on the Australian continent for standup paddle boarding is Perth, the largest city in Western Australia. VirtualTourist members recommend Cottesloe Beach for visiting enthusiasts, but also noted that any fan of watersports should take a day trip to nearby Rottnest Island.